No Need To Love Me
by LobbyLane
Summary: Something's wrong. Max is worrying and Leo's having a secret he just won't tell. And worst of all none of them suspect they're being watched. And what do both their pasts got to do with all of it? The Producers (c) Mel Brooks ; Leo/Max


**A/N: After an eternity I think I finally got the concept for a next multible chapter fic done. So, here we go.  
**

 **Little side note: I read. A lot. *surprise. Ha ha***

 **So, I "borrowed" the idea of someone else watching from David Levithan's awesome novel _"Two Boys Kissing"._ Honestly, if you ever get the chance to, READ IT! **

**So, this is kind of an hommage if you want to take it that way.**

 **I hope it will be a little bit thrilling for you and of course, I hope you'll enjoy ;)**

 **Reviews are always appreciated.**

* * *

 _If there is one thing life taught us, it's that life itself can be a bitch. On so many levels. You grow older ignoring it, forgetting it or even pretending to love it. But in reality, deep inside, each and every human being knows the truth. Each and every one has experienced it before and, believe us, they will again. It's that little devilish game life likes to play. First of all giving hope is an essential part. Give you something to rely on. Something to make you believe everything's alright. Only to smash it the very next second and let a shitload of destruction pelting down on you._

 _No need to mention people get confused or ignorant or prefer to hide instead of taking the chance of living up to their potential. They grow to be blind about the things that really matter._

 _But that's what we're here for._

 _It's our responsibility. It had been for ages. No one knows of course. No one even imagines it will be like that. A lot of people would probably be appalled by the pure idea of having something as close to a job as the duty we're fulfilling. But that's how it works. And to be quite honest you don't bother after a while. You start to see things differently._

 _As in our case. We didn't know each other. Nor have we met before. And none of us really cared. Not anymore. But we've had one thing in common that maybe had drawn us together. Who knows? But I'm anticipating. Let's take a look down there and you'll understand what I am talking about._

 _There were these two young men. Both of them no strangers to us._

 _They were friends and had been for a very long time. And even though I was the only one who knew them personally, all of us wanted so desperately to save them. From everything that was bound to happen. From a world that wouldn't understand their mistake. And most importantly, from themselves ruining everything they've built around them._

 _Who we are?_

 _Some call us guardians. Or Angels. But that's taking a way too spiritual level for my taste. Others think of us as the ones who never really left. Or the memories of what had been. Or sometimes they even just forget us. Either way..._

 _We like to call us by our names, just like everybody else._

 _We are Carol, Elizabeth, Eleanor and me._

 _My name is Clara..._

….

"Where are you going?"

Max looked up from his books only to find Leo almost sneaking up to the front door, his hands already on his coat.

"I-I just need a little fresh air," he smiled at him. Obviously he felt caught somehow.

Max raised one eyebrow. Something about Leo's behavior was strange. More than strange actually. He acted like that for quite some time now and Max couldn't really believe he thought he'd come through with it without anybody noticing. Of course he'd noticed. It was hard not to, if he was honest.

Leo was restless. Leo was distant. And far away in his mind somehow. Max had forgotten when it had started exactly. But this went on for weeks now and slowly it started to scare him. Scared? Max Bialystock? Why yes. He'd given it a good deal of thought. It had kept him awake night after night and it only led to one conclusion. He was in fact scared. This wasn't the Leo he knew. The Leo he loved.

Usually the young man would share his thoughts with him. Heavens, it was hard to shut him up from time to time. He had this strange ability to speak about everything that went on in his mind; at any possible time. It had always been something Max was secretly proud of, for it took years for Leo to go that far. And even though he only did it whenever his partner was around, Max had always felt touched in a way. Leo'd changed so much. For him. With him. Because of him?

No wonder though. After all they've been through together they'd grown to be quite a team. As a couple, as best friends and as two lovers standing against the world. They were engaged, for God's sake!

But now...

Leo hardly spoke to Max anymore. And he avoided his eyes. It had been just a feeling at first. A little discovery Max had put as a tiny paranoia somewhere in the farthest corner of his mind. And yes, it had grown. He'd tried to ignore it at first. He'd put it on Leo feeling a little alone maybe.

After all Max was pretty busy lately. He'd tried his best to be there for Leo whenever he was home but of course knew himself that spending time alone with him was rare. Ever after he'd become the owner of the Pembroke Incorporation _-a funny little coincidence he sometimes even doomed-_ he'd got his hands full with work. Every day.

And Leo had complained about it. But there was nothing he could do really. Even though Leo had his job there too and couldn't exactly speak about having too little to do, he usually was home long before Max and of course grew to be dissatisfied about the whole situation. Mostly he would be asleep already when Max came back late at night or, as lately, he would vanish in the evenings. Sometimes even in the mornings. It was cursed somehow. Almost as though he was fleeing.

"Fresh air?" Max bid his lips but it was too late. The question whizzed through the room and the sudden stiffness of Leo was the right indication he had heard it.

Quickly, Max gave a little cough and turned his gaze down. He felt his face flushing but tried hard to focus on the letters in front of him which started to blur in an instance.

"Yeah, I...," he heard Leo's voice; quiet and almost hesitantly. "I just..."

"You need to walk. I got that," Max snapped back. Damn. He sounded angry but didn't intend to. And now he couldn't take it back.

Leo turned his head away and closed his eyes, but still stood completely petrified.

"I'm sorry," Max murmured and wished he could hide behind his desk right now. "It's just... You're doing that a lot lately and it kind of … well, it makes me wonder a bit."

He heard Leo taking a deep breath. But no answer followed.

"Sorry," Max repeated. "Just... Forget it, okay? I'll be waiting here until you come back."

"I'll hurry," Leo smiled slightly now. It looked so forced. "I promise I'll be back in no time."

Watching it made Max almost shiver. This was kind of like talking to a stranger right now.

But then, he shook his head more to himself than his partner. He was being ridiculous. Surely he was just misinterpreting it. Yes, this must be it. This was nothing.

If Leo wanted to take some fresh air, let him. There was nothing about it.

Max almost felt comfortable with that thought again, when he felt the weight of the younger man slowly pressing himself closer to him while his hands found their way around his chest in a tight hug.

"If you don't want me to go I won't," Leo whispered.

And somehow a little of that tension was gone. Max couldn't explain it himself. But he sensed Leo meant it. It was like a bad conscience surfacing right there. Or maybe he really just was beginning to get paranoid.

"No," Max spoke a little calmer now. He felt embarrassed somehow having reacted like that. It had been stupid. This was Leo after all. And he'd never done anything to worry Max. At least not on purpose.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, but his voice was more a whisper now. "Just go. Have fun whatever you're doing out there."

He forced himself into a smile too. No fights! He didn't want that and never intended it to escalate. So, calming down was an essential part right now.

"I'll be back soon," Leo smiled cheerfully when Max turned and finally their eyes met again. "I will."

"I know that," Max answered a little irritated.

"What is it then?" Leo asked and suddenly sounded worried himself.

"I...uh..," Max looked at his partner once more but then sort of swallowed his sentence. Quickly he shook his head and broke into a loving smile. "It's nothing. Forget it, will you?"

Leo sighed and let go of him.

This was new. All of it. The whole situation. Max being away that often. And the many times they didn't see each other. And now he was ...what? Jealous? Suspicious? In a way different, that was clear. And it made him feel bad about leaving now. But on the other hand he had the burning urge to go. Right now! This wasn't the right time to discuss it.

So he turned slowly; fighting the battle of staying or going silently in his head. It took him an eternity to finally move towards the door. Well, not moving. It was more tip-toeing.

"Leo?"

He'd already reached the doorknob and stopped again, hearing Max's voice almost shyly behind him. He turned halfway only to see his partner staring back at him with one the most desperate looks he'd ever seen on him.

And then there was silence for an awfully long time. A silence that if it were screams would turn anyone within five miles deaf.

Until Max straightened up...

"Are you seeing someone else?"

Leo held his breath. He could almost see the two of them standing there from an outer point of view. And he silently cursed himself for not answering right away. He even doubted he'd heard right. And he felt his eyes growing to a new dimension while cold sweat ran down his back immediately.

And then Max coughed.

"Forgive me," he said quickly and turned away from him, fixating his shoes. "That was stupid. I... I shouldn't ...have..."

"No," Leo answered sincerely.

"So?" Max asked hoarsely.

"No one else," Leo repeated once more, but didn't dare to look up. "I'd never do that to you."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry," he exhaled and raised his head again. "I'll see you when I am back."

Thus, he turned and left the apartment, closing the door softly and without a sound behind himself.

Max felt his body collapse on the desk and slammed his head to it several times.

"I'm so stupid. Stupid. Stupid!" he told himself and his voice grew louder with every word. What's gotten into him anyway. He never meant to ask it. It just happened. It had slipped his mouth just as though he'd had no control over his body anymore. And it had shocked Leo beyond words. Those eyes. He couldn't believe it. Never would he have thought he'd accuse Leo of anything as unspeakable as that. And he could tell Leo never imagined it either.

It had been just stupid. STUPID!

Maybe he needed to rest, that was all. Nothing more. He was beginning to miss the wood for the trees.

But one thing was certain. He would wait for Leo to return and then apologize a thousand, a million, heck... a billion times for that silly, childish, jealous and absolutely outrageous notion.

….

 _We shook our heads, having witnessed it._

 _This was bad. And the oldest story in history. We just didn't expect them to act like that._

 _Of course, stuff like that happens every day. And thousands of other relationships were brought down by more harmless accusations than that._

 _We would have warned them. Told him to stay. To speak. To tell him what was going on._

 _Leo was no stranger to me. Max was though. But having watched them for a while now I could tell this was not normal._

 _I cast a look over to the others who just shook their heads, too._

 _And one question remained:_

 _Why hadn't he told him right away?_

….

"How did you get away?"

"I said I needed a walk..."

"Again?"

Leo nodded but wasn't really listening. He simply sat there on the edge of that bed. In that shabby old dump and his bad conscience was eating him up alive.

He should have told him. Or no, maybe not that. But he should have stayed there and he should have told him something. Anything. Why the hell did he go? Why did he feel the urge to having to do this? What was the freaking matter with him?

"Is it wrong what we're doing?"

"Yes."

"Do you think we should stop?"

Leo lifted his head and looked at Carmen who looked not less clueless than himself. And even though he shook his head and stared at the floor as well, it didn't take him long to answer.

"We probably should..."

 _~To be continued~_


End file.
